Phil Miglioratti Talks With Jon Hietbrink
Co-Author of "Reviving Mission: Awakening to the Everyday Movement of God"
“Too often Christian mission has not resembled the way of Jesus and our credibility has been compromised.
However, rather than abandoning gospel mission altogether, we believe that our understanding and practice of mission need to be revived.”
PHIL>>> When we hear “revived” many automatically assume you are referring to an extended church meeting that focuses on confession of personal sin. What does a revival of “our understanding and practice of mission” look like, sound like?
JON>>> Great question! We named the book Reviving Mission because we thought it carried a provocative three-fold meaning that speaks to the revival (or renewal) that we need.
On the first level, we really do believe that our conceptions and understanding of mission itself needs to be revived. If we are honest, we have to admit that the history of “missions” is something of a mixed bag. To be sure, from the beginning, the church has consistently embodied beautiful, sacrificial, and transformative expressions of cruciform mission. That said, far too often, our understanding and practice of “mission” has been shaped more by “empire" than the “kingdom" and has been used as a tool of colonialism and exploitation that has done tremendous harm to people and communities around the globe (e.g., genocide of native peoples, enslavement of populations, etc.). As such, if we’re going to have credibility in an increasingly post-Christian context that is keenly aware of the ways that “mission” has been co-opted, we need “revived” understandings and paradigms of mission.
On another level, our conviction is that God’s mission is a reviving mission that renews, restores, and revives the communities to which we are sent. The impact of Kingdom mission certainly includes the transformation of individuals— as people say yes to Jesus, they are quite literally revived and begin to experience Jesus' resurrection life— but it doesn't stop there. True kingdom mission is also reviving for the communities people inhabit— like the river that flows from the temple in Ezekiel 47 that makes the waters of the Dead Sea fresh so that life can flourish, so too the mission of Jesus revives whole communities of people!
Finally, we also believe that God’s mission is a reviving mission in that it revives us as sent ones. By the grace of God, the revival of the kingdom isn’t just for others, it’s for us— Jesus invites us to taste the resurrection life we testify about. Indeed, as authors, each of our stories of discipleship point to the transformational ways we met God through joining him in his mission. Indeed, if, as the scriptures say, our God is a missionary (i.e., "sent and sending”) God, then mission becomes a key pathway through which we come to know who God is and experience his reviving presence in our own lives!
“The mission of Jesus revives neighborhoods and workplaces, campuses and countries, cities and families.
Jesus invites us to join him in his mission as agents of revival.”
PHIL>>> AGREE or DISAGREE (and explain): The evangelical church needs a paradigm-shift in how we understand mission as impacting neighborhoods, not just neighbors; influencing workplaces, not merely work colleagues; including ethnically diverse nations; near as well as distant.
JON>>> Wholeheartedly agree! Of course, as I mentioned above, mission in the way of Jesus certainly includes the transformation of individual lives. As Jesus says in Luke 15, “there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents”, and the scriptures provide countless examples of the ways the reviving mission of Jesus results in transformed lives marked by repentance, healing, restoration, holiness, etc. However, we think it’s often easy (particularly for those of us deeply shaped by the radical individualism of the West) to miss the profoundly social/communal dynamics of many of these same gospel stories. All three stories of Luke 15 include very communal celebrations of repentance — the shepherd, the woman, and the father "call their friends and neighbors together” into celebration and rejoicing. What’s more, there are countless examples of the ways Jesus’ transformative encounters with individuals become channels of transformation with the communities those individuals inhabit. Whether it be Simon Peter in Capernaum (Mark 1), the Samaritan woman in Sychar (John 4), Zaccheus in Jericho (Luke 19), Cornelius in Caesarea (Acts 10), or Lydia in Philippi (Acts 16), the reviving mission of Jesus almost always moves through the lives of transformed individuals to transform the life of their communities. Though it typically starts in what we might consider personal space, the reviving mission of Jesus almost always goes public.
“Jesus’ earliest disciples were entirely ordinary kinds of people…full of uncertainty and anxiety,
marked by fear and failure, characterized by confusion…they fumbled their way forward.”
“They were surrounded by confusion, oppressive systems exploitation, a compromised religious system.”
“They were ordinary, everyday kinds of people. And God used them to change the world.”
PHIL>>> Most who read this description would agree. What are you saying that we have not fully understood or how are our approaches to ministry actually restricting an everyday movement of God?
JON>>> In our experience as fumbling followers of Jesus, we’re keenly aware of the gap between what we know to be true (i.e., the ideas we assent to with our minds) and what we actually live to be true (i.e., the convictions we embody in our obedience)— often, the journey of discipleship to Jesus is learning to more fully live our truths. Our sense is that this kind of gap also exists in our approaches to ministry. To be sure, many of us would say that God’s mission is an all-play invitation for everyday, ordinary folks (e.g., doctrines like the"priesthood of all believers”), but the lived reality of many of our churches and ecclesiological systems suggest that the real ministry is done by professional folks who stand on a stage (or who show up on a screen) and provide an excellent religious “product” (whether it be a sermon or a worship experience) to a room of (mostly) passive consumers. I believe it was an author named Alan Hirsch who said, “we will never consume our way into discipleship”, and we think this is deeply true. Following Jesus is not a spectator sport, but we would humbly suggest that many of the ways we “do church” can inadvertently reinforce a paradigm that suggests that “real ministry” happens in a church building on Sunday morning instead of in the everyday lives of our neighborhoods and workplaces.
"We believe the new way we need is an old way rooted in the all-play empowerment of everyday people just like we see in the New Testament.
When we look more closely at those ancient stories we see a pattern of reviving mission emerge.
It's this pattern we've called the 4Es of Reviving Mission - Encounter. Explore Empower. Establish.
PHIL >> This template "serves as the core paradigm" for reviving misson - -
How is this template different from most current strategic approaches to mission?
JON>>> Of course, we’re aware that there is “nothing new under the sun”, so we certainly wouldn’t presume to suggest that anything we’ve articulated is all that new. In fact, as we mentioned in the section you quoted above, our conviction is actually that this “new” way we need is actually a very old way, but there are a few things we’ve really come to appreciate about the model we’ve articulated that we think can be helpful in our current context.
First, we love how thoroughly scriptural the model is. Though we obviously articulated it as an alliterative pattern— the 4Es— it would be a misnomer to suggest that this was something we created— rather, we truly believe it was a durable pattern we discovered as we studied the scriptural narratives. Indeed part of what we do in the book is trace this 4E pattern from the life of Jesus himself (e.g., Mark 1, Luke 5, etc.), through the ways he trained his earliest disciples (Luke 9-10 is a great example), to the life of the early church (Acts 2-3 or Acts 10 are great examples), and ultimately into the missionary journeys of Paul and his companions (Acts 16). Anytime we see a pattern like the 4Es repeated across generations of disciples and across contexts as diverse as rural Galilee to urban Philippi, we think it’s worth paying attention.
Second, we love how holistic and integrated the model is. To be honest, when we started writing, we thought we were largely going to be writing a book about the practices of mission— what we do as we are sent. However, as we kept studying and talking and writing, we came to realize that the 4Es aren’t just about WHAT WE DO, or the PRACTICES of mission— they also shape HOW WE LIVE with redemptive POSTURES of sentness, and ultimately, we believe they are windows into WHO GOD IS— they help us encounter God’s PERSON. As such, the 4Es articulate a model of holistic missiology that integrates spirituality (WHO GOD IS), formation (HOW WE LIVE), and praxis (WHAT WE DO) in what we think is a compelling way.
Finally, we’re compelled by how hopeful and joyful— perhaps even buoyant— the model is. Far too often, books about mission can have a tendency to center OUR activity, responsibility, and agency, and though it’s unintentional, this can create a sense of unhelpful duty, obligation, and heaviness. In contrast, what we tried to do in the book is center GOD’S activity, responsibility, and movement in a way that we think is both deeply biblical and also profoundly helpful for us. As we’ve released the book, we’ve had multiple conversations with folks who have said something like “this is the first time in a long time I felt hope and joy when I think about ‘mission’” and we’re so glad about that (because that’s been our experience too!)
How would the 4Es change the way churches think about the discipleship process?
Well, that’s obviously a big question (!), but one big shift I think the 4Es invite us to is what I mentioned above. Far too often, we can locate ourselves and OUR activity at the middle of our discipleship (or as the primary agent in mission). Of course, discipleship and mission are thoroughly participatory — again, we will never consume our way into discipleship (or mission). However, anytime we think of discipleship or mission as something that’s primarily about what WE do, it’s easy to get off base. Fundamentally, the Triune God is the one who disciples and forms us. Mission isn’t something we do for God, it’s something God is doing all around us that we get to join, and that shift has all kinds of profound implications.
How could this change the way a pastor preaches, a leader teaches, a ministry catalyst thinks about mobilization?
Of course, hard to answer a question like that in just a few words, but here’s a few thoughts!
I’d love to see leaders make more space in their sermons or Sunday morning worship times for people to hear from and respond to God for themselves— to make ENCOUNTER with God the priority of our gatherings. Instead of packing services full of songs and teaching and speaking, how might God move if we gave him space to be quiet and listen so that HE could speak to his people? If we want to be awakened to the everyday movement of God in our regular lives his presence and his movement should be the priority of our gatherings.
What’s more, I think the more we can invite those we lead into active practice/participation, the more fruitful we’re going to be. Though information and teaching certainly have a role in transformation, discipleship to Jesus tends to be more cyclical— we hear from God, we respond to God, and then we debrief (and thereby learn from) that experience. Too often, folks like me tend to put a lot of energy into thinking about the first part of that paradigm— we emphasizing HEARING from God through the scriptures or sermons, but I think we do our folks a disservice if we don’t think at least as much about how they might faithfully RESPOND to what they hear and then how they are going to DEBRIEF what they heard/lived. In most cases, the limiting factor in our discipleship isn’t about information (what we know), it’s about our obedience (what we actually do), but most of our gatherings tend to lean toward pumping more information into our folks and less about creating venues for active obedience/practice/response to what we’ve learned.
PHIL>>> Coach us on how to begin dismantling and redesigning our ministries
JON>>> Obviously, every ministry context is different, but if there’s a place to start, certainly it’s in encounter with God— for YOU as a leader, for the TEAM of people you are leading with, and ultimately for your COMMUNITY. Part of what’s so freeing and hopeful about the 4Es is that they center the three-dimensional work of God in a place and among a people. Jesus is the one who was, and is, and is to come, and who is already at work in and through the communities we’re seeking to lead. As such, the place to start is always to SEEK ENCOUNTER with him in prayer, worship, consecration and ASK the question of EXPLORE, “God, what are you already doing here and how might I join in?”
Of course, discerning what God is already doing and joining in is easier said than done, so in addition to the book itself, we also produced the Reviving Mission Workbook that is packed with practical tools, resources, and worksheets that believe can help leaders and their communities along the journey!
PHIL >> One more thing we need to remember as we begin to revive our precepts and practices of being on mission . . .
JON>>> I don’t want to give away too much, but the last chapter of the book is all about the joy of Jesus, and if there’s one thing we’d want our readers to experience through our work it’s this. The greatest reward of the mission in the way of Jesus and being awakened to the everyday movement of God isn’t a life of purpose or amazing kingdom transformation, or thriving ministry (as beautiful as those things are). The greatest reward of mission in the way of Jesus is, quite simply, Jesus— encountering his person, dwelling in his presence, and knowing that your life of faithful obedience makes him really, really joyful.
PHIL>>> Please write a prayer for pastors and ministry leaders . . .
JON>>> Father, Son, and Holy Spirit— thank you for the pastors and leaders reading these words right now. Thank you for their faithful obedience to you, and the unseen offerings of faith they have given to you.
Good Father, you are the who sees what is done in secret, and so I pray now that these daughters and sons of yours might know your deep, abiding affection for them.
Lord Jesus, you are the original sent one, the author and perfecter of our faith, so I pray now that you would come and encounter these brothers and sisters of yours in a fresh way— come and fill them with your joy.
Holy Spirit— ever sent and sending into the world— come and awaken these your servants to your movement all around them, and empower them with all they need to follow you and lead those entrusted to them. Amen!
**********
Jon Hietbrink ~ CoAuthor, "Reviving Mission"
Vice President, Campus Ministry :: Central US
InterVarsity USA
641.780.6670 :|: @jonhietbrink
www.intervarsity.org
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Reviving Mission
Awakening to the Everyday Movement of God
by Linson Daniel, Jon Hietbrink, and Eric Rafferty
God's mission is for everyone, every day.
In the midst of societal disruption and disillusionment, we're seeing signs of a new season of God bringing people into renewal and revival. Jesus is the Sent One who invites us to become like him and live as sent people. God is leading us into a new normal where all of us—not just the professionals—can encounter him and experience his work.
Apostolic mission leaders Linson Daniel, Jon Hietbrink, and Eric Rafferty reveal God's invitation into everyday mission in the way of Jesus. Though Christians may be discouraged by various challenges, this season holds opportunities for experiencing God's movement in fresh ways among unlikely people.
With biblical insights into how Jesus and the early church lived, the authors invite us into four Es of reviving mission:
This model of holistic mission brings together the person of God, postures of redemption, and practices of engagement in a way that equips ordinary people for transformation and renewal.
God's mission revives us as sent ones and the communities we are sent to. Come and be awakened to his everyday movement all around you.
REVIEWS
"Is God doing a new thing? Linson Daniel, Jon Hietbrink, and Eric Rafferty dare to say that he is! And they are correct. In Reviving Mission, they invite the reader into a renewed wonder and enchantment of a God who is moving toward creation and inviting it into the intimate love of God. This book made me want to be a missionary again. Not somewhere else, but right here." --A.J. Swoboda, associate professor of Bible and theology at Bushnell University in Eugene, Oregon, and author of The Gift of Thorns
"This book is a well-written exploration of contemporary mission in culturally diverse, post-Christian contexts. It is not just a good example of robust but accessible theological reflection, it is also grounded in the living experience of the authors. Good stuff!" --Alan Hirsch, author of The Forgotten Ways and The Shaping of Things to Come and founder of Forge Missional Training Network and the Movement Leaders Collective
"While some missional literature sounds grave warnings about the parlous state of the church today, Reviving Mission is rooted in an infectious optimism about the unfurling of the kingdom and the church's role in it. The authors believe God is up to something, and their book is a clarion call for us to take our place in the new season he is stirring up around the world. Inspiring and practical." --Michael Frost, founder of the Tinsley Institute at Morling College in Sydney, Australia, and coauthor with Christiana Rice, of To Alter Your World
"If you want to turn from cynicism to wonder, read this book! Linson Daniel, Jon Hietbrink, and Eric Rafferty testify to how God is at work in our world through those who seek him. Understanding the 4E framework illustrated in Reviving Mission transfers mission from professionals to everyday Christ-followers. This is a kairos moment: as we look toward God's future, anticipating it in the present, we can participate with the God of history in creating a future filled with unshakable joy!" --JR Woodward, national director of the V3 Movement, author of Creating a Missional Culture and The Scandal of Leadership, and coauthor with Dan White Jr., of The Church as Movement
"God is on the move and doing a new thing in our fast-changing world. Reviving Mission is full of practical insights and thoughtful reflections from seasoned Christian leaders that apply to all who want to understand God's work for our times and wrestle with the challenges of living out their faith. A must-read for all serious Christians everywhere." -- Sam George, global catalyst for diasporas with the Lausanne Movement and author of Sharing Jesus with Hindus
"The missional frame of this book—encounter, explore, empower, establish—is so helpful in starting and sustaining flourishing communities of faith. This is the way to do it! And the stories the authors share offer much inspiration and hope that God is still on the move today. If you want practical ways to jump in and be a part of what God is doing in the world, read this book." --James Choung, vice president of strategy and innovation of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, and coauthor with Ryan Pfeiffer, of Longing for Revival
"A must-read primer for any ministry leader hoping to be better equipped and empowered. Reviving Mission offers much-needed postures and practical tools that will not only revive your mission but also your faith. God is doing something new!" --Tom Lin, president and CEO of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA
"Reviving Mission is a fresh, innovative integration of spiritual formation and holistic missiology pointing us to something bigger that's going on all around us—a fresh move of God in our time! Drawing us into practical rhythms that invite us to encounter God, Reviving Mission seeks to normalize a 'movement posture.' Demonstrating that God can and does move in power anywhere and everywhere, the authors call us to a fresh hope for revival and awakening at this cultural moment. This is a must-read for anyone passionate about cultural transformation, movement, and revival." --R. York Moore, CEO of the Coalition for Christian Outreach
"Guiding us beyond immature triumphalism and reactive disillusionment, Linson Daniel, Jon Hietbrink, and Eric Rafferty give us a renewed vision for mission with their wise and practical book. Yes, as they argue, mission must be revived, avoiding the political distortions and cultural mistakes of the past, made alive for everyday life with the real presence of Jesus! Their holistic vision is both good news for communities that we are sent to and for all those who are sent. A wonderful and much-needed resource!" --Daniel D. Lee, academic dean of the Asian American Center at Fuller Theological Seminary and author of Doing Asian American Theology
"This book is for those who hunger for renewal and long to see God's renewing work spill out beyond the walls of the church. Combining hope-driven inspiration and practical solutions, Reviving Mission is a wonderful resource that will equip and encourage the priesthood of all believers for our God-given mission in the world." --Mark Sayers, senior pastor of Red Church in Melbourne, Australia, author of Reappearing Church and A Non-Anxious Presence, and the co-host of the Rebuilders Podcast
"Faith-building, discerning, and robust! New seasons require new wineskins. Reviving Mission provides a fresh expression of new wineskins that can steward a move of God in our generation." -- Sarah Breuel, Revive Europe executive director and Lausanne Movement board member
"In Reviving Mission, Linson Daniel, Jon Hietbrink, and Eric Rafferty so poignantly call the church—young and old alike—to join the mission of God in reviving us to the presence and movement of God in our lives so that we can help revive the people and places around us. This is a primer on how to participate in everyday missions while preparing for generational revival. If you desire to experience more of God's presence in your life, discover how God is currently moving around you, and empower others to be multiplying witnesses of Jesus, this book is a must-read!" -- Thai Lam, executive director of the Revival Is Family Foundation and director of the Collegiate Day of Prayer
"In Reviving Mission, authors Linson Daniel, Jon Hietbrink, and Eric Rafferty take readers back to the fundamentals, when authentic encounters with Jesus provided purpose and direction for the lives of his followers. The authors remind us that God's presence, and not political motivations, renowned success, or extravagant church services, is what is needed to bring true transformation. God is moving, and this book shows us how to follow him into a new season where he will bring life to people across the globe." --Dave Ferguson, author of Hero Maker and B.L.E.S.S.
"Throughout all of history, we have seen fresh moves of the Spirit. Some become historical moments noted in the media, while others are personal but no less world changing. Reviving Mission looks at some practical steps in how to be a Holy Spirit people in the places where God leads us, and I am grateful for a book that so accessibly equips those who want to see the kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven." -- Jay Pathak, national director of Vineyard USA
"Linson Daniel, Jon Hietbrink, and Eric Rafferty's significant contribution to mission in the twenty-first century isn't what we would expect. While loaded with large canvases of theological and biblical acumen, Reviving Mission doesn't just stop there: it provides story after story of the real lives of real people who have made real decisions around practicing reviving mission through their real encounters and exploration with God, resulting in the real empowerment of leaders and establishing real communities of Jesus." --Eun K. Strawser, author of Centering Discipleship and president of Iwa Collaborative
"A powerful invitation for ordinary people to join God's extraordinary movement, embodying his reviving mission in our chaotic world. With rich mission theology and evidence of God's fresh work in new expressions of global revival, Reviving Mission offers a hopeful, practical blueprint for living out our faith with renewed purpose and passion. Linson Daniel, Jon Hietbrink, and Eric Rafferty are sure to inspire, challenge, and equip younger generations to bring God's kingdom to life in every aspect of daily life, starting with personal encounters with God and extending to empowering others as missional disciples." --Beth Seversen, former associate professor of youth and Christian ministries studies at North Park University and author of Not Done Yet: Reaching and Keeping Unchurched Emerging Adults
CONTENTS
Preface: Signs of a New Season
1. A New Season and a New Way
2. Jesus' Holistic Mission
3. Encounter: God Is Here
4. Encounter: God Is Moving
5. Explore: Lift Up Your Eyes
6. Explore: People of Peace
7. Empower: By What Power?
8. Empower: Serve and Send
9. Establish: God of Cadence
10. Establish: God of the Garden-City
11. Conclusion: The Joy of Jesus
Epilogue: Heralds of a New Normal
Ackowledgments
Notes
BONUS MATERIAL
Additional resources for Reviving Mission available at Amazon:
Download the Press Kit